Read head sensor with a reactively sputtered pinning layer structure
AssigneeHitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands B.V.
InventorMustafa Pinarbasi
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A pinning layer structure is provided for a spin valve sensor of a read head which has a reactively deposited nickel oxide first film which underlies a reactively sputter deposited second film of iron oxide (FeXOY). In the preferred embodiment the pinning layer is composed of cobalt (Co) or cobalt iron (CoFe) which is exchange coupled to the iron oxide (FeXOY) second film of the pinning layer. This structure results in an improved magnetoresistive coefficient (dr/R) which is substantially maintained after annealing so that the magnetic head has good thermal stability when subjected to high temperatures in the presence of a field that is antiparallel to the pinned orientation of the magnetic moment of the pinned layer.
Claims31
A method of making a magnetic read head that has a sensor comprising the steps of:
- a making of the sensor comprising the steps of:
- forming an antiferromagnetic pinning layer structure comprising the steps of:
- reactively combining sputtered nickel (Ni) and oxygen at a wafer to form a first film of nickel oxide (NiO) on said wafer;
- and
- reactively combining sputtered iron (Fe) and oxygen at the first film to form a second film of iron oxide (FexOy) on the first film;
- and
- forming a ferromagnetic pinned layer structure exchange coupled to said second film of the pinning layer structure.
A method of making a magnetic head assembly having a read head and a write head on a wafer substrate comprising the steps of:
- making the read head comprising the steps of:
- forming a ferromagnetic first shield layer;
- forming a nonmagnetic nonconductive first read gap layer on the first shield layer;
- making a read sensor on the first read gap layer comprising the steps of:
- forming an antiferromagnetic pinning layer structure on the first read gap layer comprising the steps of:
- reactively combining sputtered nickel (Ni) and oxygen at the first read gap layer to form a first film of nickel oxide (NiO) on the first read gap layer;
- and
- reactively combining sputtered iron (Fe) and oxygen at the first film to form a second film of iron oxide (FexOy) on the first film;
- and
- forming a ferromagnetic pinned layer structure exchange coupled to said second film of the pinning layer structure;
- forming a nonmagnetic metal spacer layer on the pinned layer structure;
- and
- forming a ferromagnetic free layer structure on the spacer layer;
- and
- forming the sensor with first and second side edges;
- connecting first and second hard bias and lead layers to the first and second side edges of the sensor;
- forming a nonmagnetic nonconductive second read gap layer on the sensor and the first and second hard bias and lead layers;
- and forming a write head as follows:
- forming a ferromagnetic first pole piece layer on the second read gap layer that has a yoke portion located between pole tip and back gap portions;
- forming a nonmagnetic nonconductive write gap layer on the pole tip region of the first pole piece layer;
- and
- forming an insulation stack with at least one coil layer embedded therein on the yoke portion of the first pole piece layer;
- forming a ferromagnetic second pole piece layer on the write gap layer, the insulation stack and connected to the back gap portion of the first pole piece layer.
A method as claimed in claim 19 wherein the forming of the pinned layer structure comprises the step of forming a layer of cobalt iron (CoFe) or cobalt (Co) on said second film of the pinning layer structure.
A magnetic read head comprising:
- a read sensor including an antiferromagnetic pinning layer structure that includes:
- a first film of reactively sputtered nickel oxide (NiO);
- and
- a second film of reactively sputtered iron oxide (FexOy) on the first film;
- the read sensor further including a ferromagnetic pinned layer structure exchange coupled to said second film of the pinning layer structure.
A magnetic head assembly including a read head and a write head and an air bearing surface (ABS) comprising:
- the write head including:
- ferromagnetic first and second pole piece layers;
- each of the first and second pole piece layers having a yoke portion located between a pole tip portion and a back gap portion;
- a nonmagnetic write gap layer located between the pole tip portions of the first and second pole piece layers;
- an insulation stack with at least one coil layer embedded therein located between the yoke portions of the first and second pole piece layers;
- and
- the first and second pole piece layers being connected at their back gap portions;
- and
- the read head including:
- a read sensor having first and second side edges;
- first and second hard bias and lead layer structures connected to the first and second side edges of the read sensor;
- nonmagnetic nonconductive first and second read gap layers;
- the read sensor and the first and second hard bias and lead layers being located between the first and second read gap layers;
- a ferromagnetic first shield layer;
- and
- the first and second read gap layers being located between the first shield layer and the first pole piece layer;
- and the read sensor including:
- the read sensor including an antiferromagnetic pinning layer structure that includes:
- a first film of reactively sputtered nickel oxide (NiO);
- and
- a second film of reactively sputtered iron oxide (FexOy) on the first film;
- and
- the read sensor further including a ferromagnetic pinned layer structure exchange coupled to said second film of the pinning layer structure.
A magnetic disk drive having at least one slider that has an air bearing surface (ABS), the slider supporting at least one magnetic head assembly that includes a read head and a write head, the disk drive comprising:
- the write head including:
- first and second pole piece layers;
- each of the first and second pole piece layers having a yoke portion located between a pole tip portion and a back gap portion;
- a nonmagnetic write gap layer located between the pole tip portions of the first and second pole piece layers;
- an insulation stack with at least one coil layer embedded therein located between the yoke portions of the first and second pole piece layers;
- and
- the first and second pole piece layers being connected at their back gap portions;
- and
- the read head including:
- a read sensor having first and second side edges;
- first and second hard bias and lead layer structures connected to the first and second side edges of the read sensor;
- nonmagnetic nonconductive first and second read gap layers;
- the read sensor and the first and second hard bias and lead layers being located between the first and second read gap layers;
- a ferromagnetic first shield layer;
- and
- the first and second read gap layers being located between the first shield layer and the first pole piece layer;
- and
- the read sensor including an antiferromagnetic pinning layer structure that includes:
- a first film of reactively sputtered nickel oxide (NiO);
- and
- a second film of reactively sputtered iron oxide (FexOy) on the first film;
- and
- the read sensor further including a ferromagnetic pinned layer structure exchange coupled to said second film of the pinning layer structure;
- a housing;
- a magnetic disk rotatably supported in the housing;
- a support mounted in the housing for supporting the magnetic head assembly with its ABS facing the magnetic disk so that the magnetic head assembly is in a transducing relationship with the magnetic disk;
- means for rotating the magnetic disk;
- positioning means connected to the support for moving the magnetic head assembly to multiple positions with respect to said magnetic disk;
- and
- processing means connected to the magnetic head assembly, to the means for rotating the magnetic disk and to the positioning means for exchanging signals with the magnetic head, assembly, for controlling movement of the magnetic disk and for controlling the position of the magnetic head assembly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.